AP15:104
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2015
CONTACT: Sam Mahood
(916) 653-6575
Proposed Initiative Enters Circulation
Constitutional Definition of a Person. Fertilized Human Eggs. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.
SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced the proponents of a new initiative were cleared to begin collecting petition signatures today.
The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is required to appear on initiative petitions. When the official language is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to the Secretary of State, and the initiative may be circulated for signatures. The Secretary of State then provides calendar deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials. The Attorney General’s official title and summary for the measure is as follows:
CONSTITUTIONAL DEFINITION OF A PERSON. FERTILIZED HUMAN EGGS. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Extends constitutional protections of due process and equal protection to all fertilized human eggs by redefining “person” as including each and every human organism from the commencement of biological development. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Potentially significant net costs to state and local governments from the establishment of due process and equal protection rights for zygotes, embryos, and fetuses. (15-0072.)
The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1732 and the Attorney General’s tracking number is 15-0072.
The proponents of the measure, Walter B. Hoye II and Lori Hoye, must collect the signatures of 585,407 registered voters (eight percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the November 2014 general election) in order to qualify it for the November 2016 ballot. The proponents have 180 days to circulate petitions for the measure, meaning the signatures must be submitted to county elections officials by June 6, 2016. The proponents can be reached at (510) 225-4056 or civilrights@civilrightsfoundation.org.
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